Hawg

Thanks! Yeah it was my first time targeting one as well so I may well be ruined. Do they usually take crawfish patterns?

Right there with ya on the fishing and trouble lol

Perfect

Recently I’ve decided to try to familiarize myself more with fly fishing so I’ve made it a point to keep my fly rods with me in the truck. I have a 2wt and a 5wt. Last week I was working in eureka and I decided to check out a spot on the Meramec before work and I caught two large mouth but while I was there I spotted some carp feeding on the surface. Couldn’t really see the fish because of the light and glare angle. We finished the job early so I slipped back down to the bank and decided to go to upstream and climb a 15 foot tall mud bank for a better view. I saw dozens of carp patrolling the edge in groups some feeding on the surface some on the bottom. Some were huge. Fortunately I decided not to use my 2wt (though it was set up and ready) and I grabbed my 5wt and put a crayfish pattern on. About ten casts later agroup of five headed towards my fly and a I gave it a little strip. They all spasmed at once and instantly muddied the water as my line went tight. I jumped down the bank as the fish headed out to the middle and down stream. I have no idea how I turned him back towards me. I think I had maybe five feet of backing left before he came back up river. I had four pound tippet on the end. My dad and brother were nearby and took some photos and brought my net from the truck. Took me about an hour and 45 minutes heh.

Thanks

I feel you on this. Having plucked two +27" wild bred rainbows from our place in the Pacific Northwest on stream that I've never even seen another man fishing, it's hard to feel the same connection to nature for me standing elbow to elbow at a park here in Missouri. I just don't get the same primal feeling. That said, I grew up on the Black, Current, Jacks Fork and Eleven Point and when I'm chasing goggle eye and smallmouth, I feel right at home.